


life goes fast

by daisy_chains



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt, Episode: s01e10 The Moment of Truth, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Gwen is a Good Friend, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Missing Scene, POV Gwen (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 18:40:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15055331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisy_chains/pseuds/daisy_chains
Summary: Gwen isn’t quite sure how long it’s been since they left Merlin and Will alone, but she knows it’s been long enough.





	life goes fast

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the time between Will’s death and his funeral pyre.
> 
> _Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face_   
>  _Do you realize we're floating in space,_   
>  _Do you realize that happiness makes you cry_   
>  _Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die_
> 
> _And instead of saying all of your goodbyes, let them know_   
>  _You realize that **life goes fast**_   
>  _It's hard to make the good things last_   
>  _You realize the sun doesn't go down_   
>  _It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round_
> 
> Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips

Gwen isn’t quite sure how long it’s been since they left Merlin and Will alone, but she knows it’s been long enough. Judging by the look on Hunith’s face, she knows this as well. 

“I’m going to go check on Merlin,” she says, watching for Hunith’s approval. Morgana and the prince don’t notice, too caught up in their argument over the concept of timing, and the servant doesn’t bother to attempt to capture their attention. At Hunith’s small nod, Gwen walks away from the trio, relieved to be out of hearing range of the bickering royals. 

She hesitates outside the door to Will’s house, pain shooting through her heart as a broken sob sounds from inside. 

“Oh, Merlin,” she whispers as she opens the door and pads softly towards where her friend is bent over the body of the fallen young man, trembling. 

Gwen moves to stand beside Merlin and lays a hand on his back, rubbing soothing patterns and murmuring comforting words. He shies away for a moment, choking on a sob, but then he turns and buries his face in her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

“Oh, Merlin,” she says again, wrapping one arm around his shoulders and running a hand through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Merlin.”

They remain like this until the door creaks open once again, and then Hunith, followed by a now silent Arthur and Morgana, enters, teary-eyed and trembling herself. 

“Merlin,” the woman says, taking a slow step forward, purposely keeping her eyes off Will’s body. “It’s time.” 

The servant pulls away, ducking his head and wiping at the tear stains on his face. As he turns back to Will, Arthur moves to assist him, but halts when Merlin shakes his head.

Gwen makes her way to stand beside Morgana and Hunith as Merlin carries Will’s body out of the house and to the funeral pyre, trailing after him with Arthur slightly behind. The few short moments it takes to walk from the village to the pyre feel much more like an eternity, but they reach their destination all the same and no one breathes a word as the young man sets his friend down.

A villager hands a flaming torch to him and he hesitates before accepting, but he takes the torch and lights the wood aflame. Still, there’s silence. 

_Oh, Merlin_ , she thinks once again, heart throbbing along to the crackle of the pyre.


End file.
